Steven Pienaar has ‘not been feeling like a footballer’ during his latest spell of injury hell.

The Everton midfielder has played just one competitive first-team game in 2015 but is slowly working his way back to full fitness after a hamstring problem.

Pienaar hasn’t featured for Roberto Martinez’s side this season but played for the under-21s on Tuesday night against Schalke at Goodison.

The 33-year-old admitted in April that, after groin and knee problems blighted his season, he had considered retirement.

Pienaar, after a substitute appearance against Swansea City, returned to fitness in time for Everton’s pre-season but damaged his hamstring as the Blues began a mini-tour of Scotland in late July.

Last night’s cameo for the u-21s was an important step in his recovery but Everton boss Roberto Martinez says he has to give Pienaar as much time as possible.

“Sometimes you get into a wrong momentum and wrong dynamic and the more you want to get back, you get a little bit of a set-back and you push your body even more,” Martinez said.

“And then that develops a chain of effects where everything goes against you.

“Unfortunately, Stevie has been away from feeling happy, feeling like a footballer and feeling as though he can enjoy his football and we need to help him.

Everton's Steven Pienaar (left) and Ross Barkley in action during the pre-season match at the County Ground, Swindon.

“Now, we are being extra cautious with his recovery and giving him extra time to give him a good period of adaptation.

“We will have to give him enough time to get back to match fitness.

“But, as we know, Stevie is a unique footballer within our squad and we need to get him fit because the margin we can improve, with him in the squad, is huge.

“So we are really looking forward to him having a good exercise tonight and we will build it up slowly.

“We all sympathise with the tough period he’s had to go through.”

Pienaar has played just 11 times for the senior squad since the start of last season and Martinez says wear and tear is inevitable after a nearly 15 years playing in some of Europe’s top divisions.

Everton's Steven Pienaar

“When you are a footballer around the figure of number of games he’s played, he’s a very experienced man, then clearly that is going to have a toll on your body,” Martinez added.

“But he is a very, very fit boy naturally but he has been very unfortunate with injuries and that effects the bio-mechanics of your body at times and that desire to be back on the pitch can bring you set-backs.

“So, sometimes you need to be patient, trust the medical people around you but also be lucky with what is ahead of you.”

What do you think? Will Pienaar even get back to his best? What about a new contract in the summer?